AU Monitor: Issue 127, 2008
Hakima Abbas
hakima at fahamu.org
Wed Mar 5 17:11:18 GMT 2008
Issue 127, 2008 – Weekly Roundup
This week’s AU Monitor brings you news from the Regional Economic
Communities (RECs).
The Southern African Development Community (SADC) sent a delegation
to the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) to study
its agricultural policy and “to learn from the ECOWAS experience in
the implementation of the policy”. It is indeed the lack of
political will to invest in agriculture that the United Nations has
claimed is affecting Africa’s ability to halve poverty and hunger by
2015. Also in West Africa, ECOWAS ministers reaffirmed their
commitment to negotiating development-oriented Economic Partnership
Agreements (EPAs) with the European Union. Indeed, the EU has faced
resistance from the majority of African, Caribbean and Pacific states
in concluding negotiations and is currently attempting to increase
pressure on these States to sign the agreements. However, a group of
African Ambassadors met to commend the decision of the Assembly of
Heads of States of the AU on the agreements which stated that: “EPAs
must serve as instruments for the promotion of sustainable
development, eradication of poverty and the reinforcement of regional
integration in Africa, as agreed in the Cotonou Partnership
Agreement”. ECOWAS also this week concluded a Memorandum of
Understanding with the Chinese firm Sinohydro to develop West
Africa’s electricity infrastructure. The MOU “requires Sinohydro to
provide technical assistance that will enable WAPP to develop
expertise in hydropower development, design, operations and power
system planning”.
In East Africa, the Inter-Governmental Authority on Development held
consultations to develop its peace and security strategy, while the
East African Community (EAC) held the first regional meeting of heads
of national human rights commissions. Further, the EAC continued to
hold negotiations on a common market “whose heart lies in securing
the free movement of persons, labour, capital, services and the right
of establishment and residence.” Finally from regional blocs, the
Community of Sahelo-Saharan States is preparing its 10th summit to be
held in Benin in May 2008.
At the African Union, chairperson of the AU and President of
Tanzania, Jakaya Kikwete, committed to finding a solution to the
Kenya crisis, for which a political settlement has since been found.
The African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights concluded its
fourth extraordinary session in which it deliberated on the situation
in Kenya and Somalia, affirming its commitment to send missions to
both countries to further investigate claims of human rights
violations. Lastly, the Peace and Security Protocol of the AU has
been adopted at the national level in Mauritania.
Peace and Security Protocol
(PANA) - The Mauritanian government, during its weekly meeting on
Wednesday, examined and adopted a bill authorising the ratification
of the protocol on the establishment of the Peace and Security
Council (PSC) of the African Union (AU), official source told PANA
Thursday.
Read more: www.aumonitor.org/comments/1133/
Sahel States Summit
(PANA) - Libyan leader Muammar Kadhafi and the Benin President Boni
Yayi Sunday reviewed strategies for the forthcoming 10th summit of
the Community of Sahelo-Saharan States (CEN-SAD), according to
sources close to the Libyan government.
Read more: www.aumonitor.org/comments/1132/
EAC Common Market
Statement by Ambassador Juma V. Mwapachu, Secretary General of the
East African Community at the opening of the meeting of the High
Level Task Force on the Negotiations for the EAC Common Market.
Read more: www.aumonitor.org/comments/1131/
Human Rights in EAC
Press Release -- The first regional meeting of the Heads of National
Human Rights Commissions of the EAC Partner States was held in Arusha
on 11- 13 February 2008.
Read more: www.aumonitor.org/comments/1130/
IGAD Peace and Security Strategy
Press Release— A group of researchers, scholars and experts convened
yesterday in the normally quiet city of Djibouti to review the
thematic papers prepared towards the development of the IGAD Peace
and Security Strategy.
Read more: www.aumonitor.org/comments/1129/
Electricity Deal with Chinese
Press Release—The West Africa Power Pool (WAPP), a specialized
institution of ECOWAS working for stable, reliable and affordable
electricity supply in the region, has signed a Memorandum of
Understanding (MOU) with Sinohydro, a Chinese company to collaborate
as strategic partners in developing West Africa’s electricity
infrastructure.
Read more: www.aumonitor.org/comments/1128/
ECOWAS on EPAs
Press Release—ECOWAS Ministers on Thursday, 21st February 2008 in
Nouakchott reaffirmed their resolve to conclude a comprehensive,
development-oriented and mutually beneficial Economic Partnership
Agreement (EPA) with the European Union.
Read more: www.aumonitor.org/comments/1127/
Shared Learning Across RECs
A delegation of the Southern African Development Community (SADC)
arrives the ECOWAS Commission on Monday, 3rd March 2008 to undertake
a study of the ECOWAS Common Agricultural Policy (ECOWAP).
Read more: www.aumonitor.org/comments/1126/
Political Will Needed on Hunger
(IRIN)—The lack of political will to invest in agriculture has
affected the chances of halving poverty and hunger in Africa by 2015,
according to a senior United Nations official.
Read more: www.aumonitor.org/comments/1118/
Diplomacy in Kenya
(PANA) - African Union (AU) Chairman, President Jakaya Kikwete of
Tanzania, has vowed to press on with efforts to broker a political
deadlock in Kenya, even as the parties have yet to reach a deal
despite weeks of negotiations.
Read more: www.aumonitor.org/comments/1115/
ACHPR Action in Kenya, Somalia
Daily Observer—After a week long extra ordinary session of the
African Commission on Human and People’s Right, held in Banjul
recently, the Commission has adopted two resolutions which, among
others, has decided to send fact finding missions to Kenya and
Somalia to investigate serious human rights violations that are
alleged to have taken place in the two countries.
Read more: www.aumonitor.org/comments/1108/
Ambassadors Endorse EPA Stance
The Daily Monitor—African group of ambassadors who on Friday met in
Brussels expressed satisfaction at declaration of the AU assembly of
heads of state and government on EPA negotiations. The Ambassadors
met to take cognizance of the Decisions and Declarations of the
January- February Assembly of the African Union, particularly the
Declaration on the Economic Partnership Agreements (EPAs) which are
being negotiated between the European Union (EU) and the different
African Regions.
Read more: www.aumonitor.org/comments/1107/
EU Aims to Rope in States
Aileen Kwa (Inter Press Service)—The European Union is determined to
get those African countries on board which have so far kicked against
the economic partnership agreements (EPAs). At the end of 2007, only
35 out of 78 African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) countries had
initialled EPAs.
Read more: www.aumonitor.org/comments/1106/
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Hakima Abbas
Policy Analyst, AU-Monitor
Fahamu - Networks for Social Justice
Email: hakima at fahamu.org
Skype: hakima_abbas
www.aumonitor.org
www.fahamu.org
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